Coking retort oven



June 19, 1945. J. VAN AcKl-:REN 2,373,450

coxINfREToRT ovEN Filed Jan. l5, 1941 IN VIENTOR.y

m Josef# vn/v #classe/v.

N BY ca L 'ver f Patented June 19, 1945 COKING RETOBT OVEN Joseph van Ackeren, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by

ignments, to Koppel-s Company, Inc.,

a corporation of Delaware lAl'iplication January 15,L 1941, Serial No.V 374,410

15 Claims.

The present invention-relates in general to regenerative horizontal coke ovens and more specically comprehends improvements in those coke ovens havingA asa structural feature laterally adjacent regenerator sole-channels that are arranged simultaneously in alternation to convey al heating gas and its combustion-products at 'relatively high diiierential 'pressures respectively to and from the heating flues and regenerators, and the separating walls for which solechannels are relatively thin and diillcultto maintain impervious to gaseous cross-flow in' the heated structure. A typical representative of this class of coke ovens is the so-called doubledivided" oven which has a pluralityr of adjacent sole-channels that diversely function in the relatively restricted space between adjacent regenerator walls.

An object of the 'present improvement is to provide more especially for the walls of the regenerator sole-channels in coke ovens of the stated class, a novel, massive monolithic construction that is integral with the supportingmat and substantially eliminates the possibility of their rupture or deformation during the heating-'up periodf for batteries comprising them as Y well as also the development of cross-leakage l between adjacent sole-channels during their subsequent operation.

A further object of invention is the provision, for the 'supporting-mats and regenerator solechannelsofhorizontal coke ovens in general, of an improved construction that importantly reduces their costs and facilitates their fabrication. A further object of improvement is the provision of a structural material for the improved features of invention that makes them of practical value to thecoking art, so that the benefits realizable by their use become a practical possibility.

vThe invention has for further objects such other improvements and such other operative advantases or results as may be found to obtain in the. processes or apparatus hereinafter described or claimed.

According to the present improvement both the supporting-mat of a battery of horizontal coke ovens and the walls of its regenerator sole-channels are integrally formed of monolithic refractory concrete, or its equivalent, that extends from the bottom of the former upwardly at least to the bottoms of the spaces for the checker-bricks of the regenerators, the said sole-channels being preferably formed in the refractory concrete during its casting period by pouring the samearound 55 (ci. 2oz-268) appropriately-shaped molds or forms. The invention thus provides for walls of the sole-channels a material and a construction that is relatively homogeneous and free of joints through- 5 out their entire extent with the result that there is no opportunity for cross-leakage between adjacent sole-channels that are employed to carry diilerent gases under different conditions of pressure. When employed in combination more especially with an underiet coke-oven battery, the improvement of the invention is embodied in a series of llaterally-supported, unitary, ltabularlike members that support the battery, the tops of said members being formed of massive concrete construction wherein are formed the solechannels for the above-lying' regenerators; the tabular members are each disposed in a manner permitting accommodation ofr its own growth during the heating-up period Without rupture to the continuity of the concrete forming the solechannel walls. c In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification vand showing for purposes of Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken lengthwise of.

the battery of Fig. 1 and along the line II-II thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section `taken along the line III- .IIIofFig.1: and y Fig..4 is a fragmentary .enlarged detail of Fig. 2 showing clearly the regenerator sole-channels as they are formed according to the invention integrally with the material of the supporting concrete for the battery and also showing. the arrangement at the edges of tops of adjacent tabular-like members whereby ythe battery is supported above accessible passageways.

Referring now to the drawing: in the illustrated underjet battery, coking-chambers l 0 that extend crosswiseytherecf are disposed lengthwise of the battery, in alternation with vertically-fiued heating walls Il comprising each of a plurality of heating flues that. is operatively divided into a pair of inner and a pair of outer flue-groups, respectively comprising iiues I3, I4, one group of each such pair thereof being on the same 'side exempliiication a preferred apparatus and methor the battery median une with their upper ends all interconnected in such manner that a group each of the fiues I3, Il, are operative nation as upfiow and downllow ilues.

The regenerative spaces between adjacent regenerator walls I5 are divided into a pair of inner and a pair of outer regenerator-compartments by means of a plurality of cross-Walls I6 that are disposed longitudinally ofthe battery and are provided with expansion-joints I'l which are ar.

ranged for sealing after the battery has been heated to operating temperatures by the introduction of a preferred flowable sealing medium into the conduits I8, which extend upwardly from the bottom of the brickwork of the regenerator cross-walls I6 through expansion-joints I1 and terminate in the lower part of a coking chamber. The design and use of thesaid conduits I8 are described in greater detail in the .Joseph Becker U. S. Patent No. 2,180,857 that issued November 21,1939.

The inner and outer regenerator-compartments, respectively I9, 20, each communicate respectively with a corresponding pair of inner and outer heating-flue groups in adjacent heating walls thereabove by means of a pair of ducts 2l, each such inner and outer regenerator-compartment being provided with its individual solechannel respectively 22, 23, thatv ports at the one or the other battery-face. The sole-channels 22,

that are associated with the said inner regenerator compartments extend beneath the space of the outer regenerator compartments and are disposed laterally adjacent the sole-channels 23 for the latter, the result being that during the heating of the battery there always exists a condition wherein the two sole-channels beneath an outer regenerator compartment are conveying in alternation either a combustion medium or its combustion-products respectively to and from associated regenerators under different conditions of pressure; if therefore the intervening wall structure is not impervious to gas flow at the existing pressure dii'erential, cross-leakage therebetween will result which can have serious consequences for the structure if, more especially, the combustionmedium is lean gas being conveyed to the regenerators for preheatng purposes.

in alter- As is clearly apparent from Fig. 3, the solechann'els of alternate endwise-abutting regenerator-compartments I9, 20, are provided with flowboxes 24 whereby they are alternately placed in communication with a lean-gas distribution main 25 for the battery or with combustion-products canal 28 whereas the sole-channels of the intermediate said endwise-abutting regenerator-ccmpartments are provided with now-boxes 21 whereby they alternately are placed in communication .with a source of combustion-air or with the said combustion-products canal 28.

When theheating flues are heated with rich gas the same is delivered thereto according to the well-known underjet principle, each heating iiue being individually provided for this purpose with a duct 29 that extends downwardly from the lower part of the heating ilue through a regeneratorwall I5 and the battery supporting-mat beneath which it is adapted for supplying with the rich gas from the primary rich-gas main 30 for the battery. The underjet ducts 29 for the outer groups of heating fiues I4 of a heating wall all communicate with a longer distributing wallheader 3| whereas the said ducts for the inner groups of heating iiues I3 communicate with -a similar shorter wall-header 32, the both of said wall-headers being arranged for independent supplying thereto of rich gas from the primary rich-gas main 30 by means of the branched pipeconnection 33 of which the lower fork and the upper forkrespectively 3l, 35, communicate respectively with said distributing wall-headers 3l, 32, and the three-way reversing-cock 36 that is operative by the now-reversing. mechanism (not shown) of the battery serves to ilow rich gas into these wall-headers in alternation. Thus, during a. regenerative heating cycle employing exclusively rich fuel-gas all the heating nues Il of the outer nue-groups of a heating wall alternate with all the heating fiues I3 of the inner nue-groups as ilame-iiues and combustion-products ilues and their corresponding regenerators, respectively 20, I9, function in alternation as inflowing and outilowing regenerators respectively for the preheating of combustion-air or conveying/'combustionproducts to the waste-heat canals 26.

During a regenerative heating cycle with lean fuel-gas, the supplying of rich fuel-gas to the battery-structure is discontinued and the regenerators of alternate pairs of the endwise-abutting regenerators I9, 20, alternate in flowing preheated lean fuel-gas and its combustion-products respectively to and from the therewith directly communicating heating flues, and the preheated air for the combustion of the lean fuel-gas is similarly flowed to the corresponding ilame-ilues by those intermediate endwise-abutting regenerators I9, 20, which themselves alternate in owing said preheated air and its combustion-products respectively to and from the groups of heating iiues i directly connected therewith.

lower absolute pressure are flowing through the contiguous sole-channels on their way to the waste-heat ducts 26, and any leakage of fuel gas from the former into the latter sole-channels will there burn with that residua1 oxygen of the combustion-products normally present therein, in consequence ofthe common practice in the art of admitting into the heating ilues a quantity of air in excess of that required for theoretical combustion ofthe employed fuel-gas, and thereby occasion over-heating oi the sole-channels; damage to their structural material which will become increasingly aggravated as the condition continues; loss of fuel; and serious limitation of the stack-draft required to eiiect the necessary ilow of heating gases through the entire heating system.

As is clearly evident from the above-recited it is of great import for both the longevity and successful operation of coke ovens and more especially sov for those belonging to the stated class that the wall-structure which separates closely Vadjacent regenerator sole-channels be of such character and of such ruggedness that under all conditions to which they are subjected during operation they will remain impervious to gaseous cross-flow.

Heretofore regenerator sole-channels have been formed of masonry; that is, they have been built up of bricks held together by mortar, and in the prior art there have been suggested divers devices for incorporation in the brickwork of such masonry for overcoming its inherent sh rtcomings as asvaeso a structural material in this vpart of aooke oven and which are obvious when the stresses of movement therein especially during the heating-up period for a battery of ovens is considered.

According to the present invention, the supporting-mat and the walls. of the regenerator "gse-faveur that is,'w nen' it is heated by means of an extraneously-produced, preheated lean fuels. itis preferred to. employ Ithose regenerators directly above the said interspaces 44 for preheating of the lean gas andthe regenerators on either side thereof for preheating of the combus- 'tion-air. In the Figs. 2, 3, 'the resultant arrangesole-ohannels of a coke oven are integrally formed of monolithic refractory concrete that extends from the bottom of said mat upwards to 'at least the bottoms of those regenerative spaces wherein structural features canbesimultaneously cast by pouring the employed mixture ofconcrete'into molds having the desired dimensions and coni' the checker-bricks are contained; tuttiv these taining preferably collapsible shapes that will lforxnthe sole-channels in the hardenedand set mas; and from which they can be removed after it h s assumed permanent shape. V'Ihe so-formed sole-channels can also be lined vwith other refractory.

At the time of pouringthe concrte mass. it is f divided Ainto individual units that are disposed to accommodate their, own growth when the battery is brought to operating temperatures and without the 'development'of cracks. which would defeat one of the objectsl of the improvement.

, Asis clearly evident in Figs. 2 and 4, the abovedescribed coking-chambers, and both their heatf ing walls andv their regenerator walls are supported on the massive structure 40 ofrefractory concrete which is itself supported on piers 4I ment of the regenerators throughout `the battery is clearly shown for both'directionsof gas-flow in a regenerative heating cycle, the solid letters A, G, and WG, denoting respectively air. gas and lwaste gases during one direction of gas-flow whereas the same letters shown in dots denote the same gases in the reverse period of iiow. From these said flguresjit is clear that the regenerators directly above the inters'paces. are adapted to carry either fuel gas or its combustion-products e respectively toand from the heating nues.

above laccessible passageways 42 through which the oven-operators can walkfrom oven to oven to perform regulatory adjustments. In the upper part of said improved and novel structural 23, the material of their walls having the same Y composition as and being formed integrally'with` the basal portion thereof. It will be noted that those sole-channels 22 which individually serve the regenerators of the inner groups thereof have thick top-walls 43 that cover them along the entire portion of their length where 'they passbeneath regenerators of the outer groups.

. ditional quantities of a preferred, yieldable sealfeature are the regenerator sole-channels 22, y

Crosswise and longitudinally extending intern spaces, respectively 44, 41, between individual structural units of the combined mat and solechannel feature of inventionare located preferv ably beneath alternate regenerators.- They comprise simple vertically-disposed slots that reach entirely through that portion ofthe concrete that would otherwise form a commonwall for coneach is supported at its opposite sidesl by a plurality of spaced piers 4l that are individual thereto. In this wise the supporting structure'of the battery-masonry comprises a series of smaller tabular-like members of'which the one is expan- 'sible independently of the other. The interspaces 44 are filled during the construction period with a yieldable packing medium such as asbestos, glass-wool, or the like, which yis compressed therein to form a tight seal. lThe lowersurface of each of .the unit features 40 is supported at either side on piers 4| by an I-beam 46 that ,extends crosswise of the battery. Theinterspaces 44, 41, are advantageously accessible from the ,basement-passageways ,42 for possible insertion of further amounts of the packing material in the event ,gaseous leaks. develop therein or therethrough. e

In the operation of the illustrated battery as a 'tiguous sole-channels 22, 23. They divide the entireAbattery-supporting structure-40 into a plurality of individually expansible units of which .closely-adjacent sole-channels ing or packing material to eil'ect the purpose.

:At such times as a coke-oven vbattery of the typeY illustrated n; the drawing is being heated, with a rich heating-gas, regenerators 20 and their sole-channels 23 arel operating, in one heating period of the regenerative heating cycle, to distribute preheated combustion-air into the heating 'ues I4 of the outer groups that are simultaneously receiving their rich fuel-gas through Vtherewith-connected underjet ducts 29, and the sole-channels 22 that are closely adjacent said ducts are functioning to carry combustion-products to the waste-heat ducts 26. In consequence of this condition, theseportions of the battery-v structure are obviously especially vulnerable to the deleterious effects of rich-fuel-gas short-circuiting into the outer parts of sole-channels 22 when the intervening structure is formed of brickwork wherein the mortared joints are uncertainly impervious after the heating-up period. By means of the present improvement providing a solid monolithic structure between underjet ducts and simultaneously conveying respectively rich fuel-gas and combustion-products, any possibility of cross-leakage therebetween is substantially eliminated, further protection being furnished by the embedded metal pipes which carry said'fuel-gas toa point above the sole-channels 22 in the battery-structure.

The novel combined mat and rsole-flue construction of the present improvement can be formed of any suitable refractory concrete which should preferably comprises. pre-calclned, stable, refractory aggregate suchas haydi'te, silica grog, or the like, and a binder of an hydraulic cement such as Lumnite, pozzolanic cement, or' the like, that is formed into a mixture having a zero or low freelime content and a high density and exhibiting small loss ofwater on heating. Cements having a high content of calcium aluminate (Camion) a) or calcium silicate (CaSiOa) with substantially all their lime chemically combined are especially desirable because oi' their resistance to the action of sulphuric oxides of the combustion-products at the temperatures obtaining in the sole-channels during operation of the battery.

The present improvement not only furnishes a simple, practical solution to a structural problem that has long existed in the art of coke-ovens belonging more especially to those of the hereinabove described class, but it also advantageously replaces a signlcant amount of their brickwork by a poured concrete which makes possible a corresponding reduction in the costs of labor and materials required for their construction.

The invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied in particular form and manner but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim:

1. In a battery of horizontal coke ovens, the combination of a coking-chamber and a heatingwall therefor comprising a plurality of heating flues' operatively divided into inner groups and outer groups that are arranged to co-operate as upiiow ilues and downiiow flues in alternation; beneath said heating-Wall a plurality of regenerative spaces each Acommunicably connected to a corresponding heating-flue group directly thereabove; beneath said regenerative spaces supporting means for the battery comprising horizontally-extending structure of massive concrete slabs; and'- sole-channels for said regenerative spaces comprising passages that are formed in the concrete of said supporting means and are disposed to concurrently convey in alternation gases to be preheated in, and waste gases of combustion from, said spaces during the heating of said coking chamber, the sole-channel for an inner heating-flue group being completely enwalled by the concrete of said battery-supporting means along that portion thereof which extends beneath a regenerative space for an outer heating-line group and interslabular expansion joints between adjacent sole-channels of said groups.

2. `In a battery oi underjet coke ovens, the combination of: coking-chambers; ilued heatingwalls having therebeneath regenerative spaces included between vertically-disposed walls; and means for supporting said flued heating-walls and regenerator walls above accessible passageways, comprising a plurality of independent, side-byside, unitary tabular-members comprising each a slab o! massive concrete that has formed therein passages operable in alternation with each other for concurrently iiowing a combustion-medium into and waste gases from said regenerative spaces and is supported adjacent each side thereof by a plurality of spaced pier-like members that is individual thereto and interslabular spaces between adjacent sole-channels.' I

3. A coke-oven battery as claimed in claim 2 l and wherein the interslabular spaces are accessible substantially their entire vertical extent from said accessible passageways.

4. A coke-oven battery as claimed in claim 2 and wherein the interslabular spaces are sealed with a packing of yieldable material thereby to prevent passage of gases through said spaces.

5. In a battery of underjet coke ovens, the combination of: coking-chambers; flued heatingwalls having therebeneath endwise-abutting regenerative spaces thatr are included between vertically-disposed walls and are arranged in alternation to preheat a fuel gas delivered thereto from the same battery-face through side-by-side regenerator sole-channels; and for supporting said flued heating-walls and regenerator-walls above accessible passageways, means comprising a plurality of independent, side-by-side, unitary tabular-members comprising each a slab of massive concrete that has formed therein regenerator sole-channel means for only one of a pair oi said endwise-abutting fuel-gas regenerative spaces and is supported adjacent opposite sides thereof by a plurality of spaced pier-likey members that are individual thereto, the interslabular space of side-by-side fuel-gas'sole-channels being adapted to receive yieldable packing material introduced from said accessible passageways, thereby to assure maintenance of a structure therebetween that is impervious to gas flow.

6. In a battery of coke ovens, the combination of: coking-chambers; iiued heating-walls having therebeneath regenerative spaces that are included between vertically-disposed walls; for supporting said heating-walls and regenerator-walls, means comprising a plurality of independent, side-by-side, unitary tabular-members comprising each a slab of massive concrete having formed therein the sole-channels for regeneratively iowing .combustion-media in'to the bases of the regenerative spaces, when operable for inflow, and combustion-products from the bases of said regenerative spaces, when operable for outow, said concrete slabs being separated by interspaces located between adjacent sole/-channels that are disposed simultaneously to convey gases under diverse conditions of pressure in a regenerative heating cycle. i

'7, In a battery of coke ovens, the combination of: coking-chambers; iiued heating-walls having therebeneath regenerative spaces that are included between vertically-disposed walls; and beneath said culling-chambers and regenerator Walls a supporting-mat for said battery comprising a horizontally-disposed layer of massive concrete, and regenerator sole-channels adapted for regeneratively flowing combustion-medium to and waste combustion-products from the bases of said regenerative spaces in alternation, said solechannels being disposed in and also formed of the concrete of said layer of massive concrete.

8. In a horizontal coke-oven battery, the combination of: coking-chambers and flued heatingwalls therefor; regenerative spaces therebeneath for preheating a combustion-medium delivered to the heating ilues, said regenerative spaces being vincluded between walls' comprising predominantly a masonry-construction; sole-channels forming the bases of said regenerative spaces for alternate regenerative delivery of a. combustion-- medium to be preheated directly to and oli-flow of waste combustion gases from the bases of said regenerative spaces; and beneath said sole-channels a structural supporting mat for said battery, lthe walls of said sole-channels and said structural supporting mat comprising a substantially homogeneous unitary structure formed of reractory concrete.

9. In a horizontal coke-oven battery, the combinationbf: coking-chambers and ued heatingwalls therefor; regenerative spaces therebeneath for preheating a combustion-medium delivered to the heating flues, said regenerative spaces being included between walls comprising predominantly a masonry-construction; sole-channels at the bases of said regenerative spaces for d1scharging the -outilow of waste combustion gas from the base of the main regenerative spaces; and beneath said sole-channels a structural supcombination of:

porting mat for vsaid battery, the walls of said sole-channels and said structural supporting mat comprising an integrally-formed unitary structure of concrete that comprises an aggregate and a cementing agent that produces a waterresistant, hydraulic bond therewith.

10. In a horizontal coke-oven battery, the coking-chambers and flued heating-walls therefor; regenerative spaces therebeneath for preheating a combustion-medium delivered to the heating, ilues, said regenerative spaces being included between walls cornprisng predominantly a masonry-construction; and supporting said walls of the regenerative spaces from beneath, a mat structure that comprises massive concrete and that has regenerator sole-channel passages arranged therein at the base of said regenerative spaces for inflow of gases to be preheated by the regenerative spaces to, and discharge of outflow of waste combustion gas from, the bases of the main regenerative spaces during heating of the battery.

11. In a horizontal coke-oven battery, the combination of: coking-chambers and flued heatingv walls therefor; regenerators therebeneath for iniiow preheating of a combustion-medium to be delivered to the heating iiues and outilow of waste combustion gases therefrom in alternation, said regenerators being includedv between Walls comprising predominantly a masonry-construction;

^ and supporting said walls of the regenerators from beneath, a structure comprising a horizontally-extending layer of concrete that also has formed therein the walls of sole-channels at the base of the regenerators for inflow of media to be regeneratively heated to, and off-flow of waste gases of combustion from, the bases of the regenerators in alternation during heating of the battery.

l2. A battery of horizontal coke ovens comprising a series of alternate horizontal coking-chambers, and flued heating-walls therefor arranged side-by-side in a row; regeneratorsY therebeneath separated by walls comprising masonry that also supports said coking-chambers and said iiued heating walls,l supporting means beneath said regenerator walls comprising a massive concrete mat structure; and sole channels at the bases of said regenerators for alternate iniiow of gas to be preheated to, and outiiow of waste gas fr'om, the bases of the regenerators, and in which said sole-channels are also formed in the con- 'crete of said supporting means.

13. In a horizontal coke-oven battery `having regenerators located beneath coking-chambers and ued heating-Walls for the latter, the improvement comprising, sole channels for leading waste combustion gases off lfrom the bases of said regenerator which have substantially gasr tight unitary walls that are formed throughout substantially their entire extent of homogeneous refractory material that forms the oven supporting slab for the battery, and means external to said sole-channel walls for accommodating dimensional variations exhibited thereby during operation of said battery.

14. In a horizontal coke-oven battery comprising a series of alternate horizontal coking-chambers and flued heating-walls therefor arranged side-by-side in a row with regenerators for preheating a combustion-medium to be deliveredto said heating walls arranged below said series, and horizontally extending massive concrete structure for supporting said coking-chambers and heating-walls and regenerators; the combination of sole-channels for leading off waste gases of combustion from thebases of the regenerators, that are disposed at the bases of said regenerators and that are formed as passages, free of joints, in

said massive horizontally-extending concrete: and of means external to the walls' forming said sole-channelfor accommodating dimensional variations exhibited thereby during operation of said battery.

15. In a battery of lur'iderjet coke-ovens, the combination of: coking chambers; flued heatingwalls having therebeneath regenerators in pairs of endwise-abutting regenerators for fuel gas and in pairs of endwise abutting regenerators for air, with the respective regenerators of the individual pairs arranged for operation in alternation with each other to preheat. a combustion-medium delivered thereto from the same battery-face through side by-side regenerator sole-channels; and means fo supporting said ued heatingwalls and regenerator walls above accessible passageways, comprising a plurality of independent, side-by-side, unitary tabular-members comprising eachj a .slab of massive concrete that has formed therein regenerator sole-channel means for one only of a pair of said endwise-abutting regenerative spaces for fuel gas and is supported adjacent opposite sides thereof by a plurality of spaced pier-like members that' are individual thereto; and interslabular expansion joints between adjacent sole-channels for the endwise abutting regenerators for fuel gas.

' JOSEPH vAN ACKEREN. 

